Rituals And Man
by
Julian H. Cambridge, 32ø
As we contemplate the word ritual and its meanings, it becomes difficult not
to think of man, and when we think of man it becomes difficult not to think of
ritual. From time immemorial, man and rituals coexisted. Man is, in fact, a
ritual being. One would then ask, what are these ceremonial
acts and why are they an inherent part of our nature?
Stated simply, rituals convey meaningful symbolic and moral lessons, lessons
about our strengths and weaknesses, high aspirations and basic flaws. Rituals
arouse the inner nature of man and afford him opportunities to receive glimpses
of his true self. These ceremonial acts, therefore, awaken within us emotions
which are usually dormant and insights which are often shrouded.
From the very early stages of our realization of ourselves, we become aware
that there is something outside of us which is much larger than ourselves. We
realize that there is a macrocosmic world of which we are the microcosm and from
which we cannot separate ourselves without hazarding great damage to our
spiritual selves. In an attempt to connect and understand these two worlds, the
macrocosmic and microcosmic, and his relation to it, man from the beginning of
his existence has employed rituals.
As we look around and observe meaningful incidents, it becomes quite evident
that rituals are constantly being used. There are rituals for birth, growing up
and assuming adult responsibilities, graduation from schools, marriage, our
demise, and many other occasions. Since rituals are such a necessary and
paramount part of us, they must be accurately expressed.
To accomplish this, we use language, gestures, acts, symbols, and costumes.
When these modes of expression are effectively applied, man's inner nature is
aroused, and he glimpses the immortal and imperishable parts of his dual nature.
He discovers the strengths which enable him to embark
on the hero's journey, not as a courageous act, but as self-discovery. Through
ritual, man finds within himself the sources of character to meet his destiny.
The origins of these ceremonial acts, their development and evolution, are
difficult to discover and define despite the fact that the use of ritual is
universal and immemorial. There is little doubt, however, that the earliest
rituals evolved around the cycles of nature and man. They sought to explain the
existence of the world, the sequence of seasons, the growth of crops, the nature
of animals, human society, and man himself.
Indeed, every culture, nation, and institution has developed ritual forms to
fit its reason for existence, its microcosm, into the larger macrocosm or reason
for all existence. Ultimately, ritual provides a focus, a core, a reason for
being, and such is the case with our own Fraternity, the august and noble Order
of Freemasons.
Therefore, to think of Freemasonry is, forthwith, to contemplate ritual. To
think about Freemasonry without at the same time thinking about ritual is like
thinking about birds without wings or cars without wheels. Wings allow birds to
fly; wheels enable cars to move. And so rituals inspire and teach us moral
lessons and cause us to fly above, move around, and pass
through the stale and negative episodes which confront us each day of our lives.
Freemasonry without proper, effective, and emotionally moving rituals is not
Freemasonry at all. It is true that rituals can become exoteric and dry. If
rituals merely remind us of the opening and closing of Lodge or other routine
ceremonies, then we have failed to grasp what rituals communicate to us.
What rituals rightly performed and executed accomplish is to resuscitate
those dormant but divine qualities which are within us, thus enabling us to
accomplish the task to which the Great
Architect of the Universe has assigned us. For ceremonial acts to be effective,
they must evoke within us the utmost we are capable of accomplishing.
It therefore behooves us to pay very close attention to rituals and what they
teach us. More importantly, we must make a whole-hearted effort to live a life
in congruence with our
Masonic rituals and the lessons they impart to us. There are many concerns
expressed about the future of Freemasonry. My answer to these concerns is: more
of us must make a true effort
to apply at every opportunity the lessons we are continually taught by Masonic
rituals. If and when we do, our non-Masonic friends and other associates will
see Masonry's Light shining
in us and will ask to share in it.
Man is ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His
capacity for ethical judgment alike his capacity for reason and the other unique
characteristics of the human being is based upon the consciousness which rituals
evoke within him. If we practice the lessons of Freemasonry, I assure you our
lives will be resplendent and the future of our Fraternity will be secured, for
the basic step in achieving inward freedom is to apply the insights imparted to
us through our Masonic rituals.
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